Garlic Soup - diggingforvictoryblog.files.wordpress.com...town folk poured over them from the rooftops, Garlic Soup. 2 These rules are intended to complement the Sharp Practice 2 rules

1 | P a g e Copyright Neal Reid 2019

Garlic Soup Urban Fighting in the Peninsular War

1

Using TooFatLardie’s Sharp Practice 2 rules

1 My table layout – during build/playtest


Introduction - Page 2 A little known, completely unevidenced fact is that French soldiers called what the Spanish

town folk poured over them from the rooftops, ‘Garlic Soup’. 2

These rules are intended to complement the Sharp Practice 2 rules by providing a mechanism

in which urban fighting can be gamed easily and enjoyably. It intends to abstract the

movement of the original rules to enable the tactics of urban fighting in the Napoleonic period

(if not Horse and Musket generally). It is not a siege game, it seeks to represent assaults on

urban areas, not formal siege warfare. I will set it out to use the chapter headings from the

rules themselves, and any changes to that chapter will be placed accordingly to make it easier

to understand changes.

Unless superseded here, all rules in the original Sharp Practice 2 are used.

You will need to purchase a copy of Sharp Practice 2 to play:

https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/sharp-practice/

Before you begin - Page 4

It’s helpful to have a few more counters then those already recommended in the original

rules. I have counters to show units unloaded, and to show cavalry either at the canter or the

gallop. I can also indicate loop-holed walls, and blown doors/walls. I have counters also to

show officer wounds. When buildings are occupied I place a number counter on the building,

and take the figures off the table, placing a similar number counter next to them.

Separate Sentry counters also come in useful. If a Marksmen is detached add a command

counter/card to the pot – the Marksman will only act when that command counter/card is

produced.

The Ground Rules - Page 6

Using my preferred 1:1 ratio in figures and true scale terrain it is a requirement to be

proscriptive about space E.g. If the streets and urban zones, as modelled, are not physically

big enough to deploy troops in any Formation then you simply cannot do it. There can be

none of that terrain nurdling3 that all wargamers do to fit their figures in! Strictly keeping in

the limits of the space available is very important in attempting to reflect the issues of formed

troops fighting in urban areas, however:

• A 50% rule will apply for figures in the second row – E.G. – if there are 4 figures ‘up

front’, then 1-3 on a D6 will let you have 2 figures active in the second row, able to

fire, or fight.

Town Squares or market places usually provide adequate space to line up the Regulars to give

the locals a blast if that’s your wish. They are also good for last ditch stands!4

2 As claimed in War to the Death – The Siege of Saragossa 1808-9 by Raymond Rudorf 1974. 3 The art of wangling your figures into a space they shouldn’t fit into. See also Alistair Cook, English Cricketer. 4 See the film The Pride and the Passion 1957, or read the original book The Gun C.S.Forester 1933

https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/sharp-practice/


Your Army - Page 9

Go and find those weird and wonderful units you always wanted to play with!5

Towns folk

In the fighting in Spain towns folk had no choice but to take a large part. This troop type,

Wallahs in the original rules, represent those folk who have not been conscripted into the

army, or quickly grouped together as militia, but are simple, angry inhabitants of an attacked

town.

Sentries and Marksmen

These troop types are designed to facilitate a function peculiar to urban fighting, but at the

same time create a manpower drain on the fighting units themselves. In these rules using

either type reduces the original total of figures, making the remaining Group less resilient in

the application of Shock issues. Sentries are governed thus:

• Because of the limited line of vision within urban areas it is possible, and desirable, to

designate single figures at street intersections and other places of interest to act as

sentries. These single figures will be physically removed from the Group and replaced

by a counter indicating the direction of view the sentry is observing.

• They may be re-attached to a similar Group as per normal rules (i.e. be within 2”).

• The audio range of a sentry to alert any friendly Groups is 12” (18” if using a drum,

horn or whistle). Having observed an enemy the sentry can join the nearest friendly

Group or stay, however if no friendly Group is within 12” then the sentry is presumed

to have fled (and is removed from the game).

• Remember, a sentry alerting Groups does so also to the enemy nearby. Sentries will

always spot on an enemies turn, unless looking the other way. Sentries caught by a

moving enemy are removed from play. Sentries do not independently move unless to

join the nearest friendly Group.

The other special type for urban fighting is the Marksman6, who acts in the same fashion as a

modern day sniper. Marksmen can be pulled from Groups as per the ‘Tasks’ section of the

rules (Page 65 and below). However, in urban fighting any Group (rather than just Light

Troops) can supply the marksman himself.

• There is a limit of 1 Marksman from each Group, he may move and fire independently,

and unlike the sentry is represented on the table with a figure. He lives, moves and

dies like any other figure.

• A difference to the main rules in using these troop types is that in the original rule

‘Tasks’ section the figures stayed within the Groups, here they move as separate

entities.

• He is represented by a command card/counter (Marksman 1, Marksman 2 and so on)

and moves and shoots like all other units when their command counter/card is picked.

5 Mine are Pro-French Spanish anti-guerrilla troops the Gendarmes D’Espagne, oh, and Imperial Postmen. 6 My house rule is enemy leaders cannot be deliberately targeted, marksmen however are allowed to.


• In relation to the Group he counts as a lost figure, i.e. they now have 1 less in their

total (in any Shock tests). The Marksman is not counted as part of the Group if the

Group breaks or retreats, and do not need to follow. Marksmen need to be fought and

killed to be removed.

• As per the rules he can fire at a target with a greater chance of success, using the

Marksman row on the Arsenal table. Any Shock inflicted by such firing is doubled. Any

kill is rolled for, with a score of 1 or 2 resulting in a Leader casualty(as per Page 66).

Note: The ‘Silent but Deadly’ (Page 66) troop type available through the Tasks section of the

Rules remains in play, and as per the rules, does not involve the detachment of a figure from

the Group.

Formations

Physical space makes the adoption of ‘Formations’ (Page 14) difficult in built zones. Line

troops rely on formed lines to fight and deliver aimed volleys. Light troops and mass type

troops are therefore at a greater advantage in this environment.

• For Regular Line troops (Page 9) in a built zone where there is physically not enough

space to lay the actual figures out in 2 rows, the ‘Line Formation’(Page 14) cannot be

adopted, and therefore neither can the volley firing attributes used. Instead of two

Groups or more of 8-12 men in two close lines, you only have a Group of men in

‘haphazard clumps’ firing and loading. ‘Controlled Volleys’ (Page 13), and ‘Crashing

Volleys’ (Page 13) are not permitted in this circumstance. The only firing allowed will

be ‘Uncontrolled Fire’ (Page 43).

• “Column”(Page 15) Formations may still be an option though, and a nice last stand

“Square”(Page 16) in the Town Square would look good, if be ultimately futile.

• Troops only used to fight as Line troops (i.e. those with the ‘Controlled’ and ‘Crashing’

volley ability) will naturally suffer a penalty if denied the ability to fight or shoot in that

Formation fight one level of training under their normal rating.

• Cavalry are affected as above, and are unable to deploy into formed lines.

Preparing to play - Page 18

The Battlefield

These rules take place in an urban environment. This is created by using multiple buildings,

streets and walled gardens as can fit on a table – use the entire table, with perhaps a minimum

of open space around the edge. Do not be afraid to have streets, then buildings, then more

streets then more buildings, be bold. Remember Churches and other interesting buildings,

and squares or market places. All add to a difficult, and challenging terrain that these rules

make playing easy. Each square foot should have a building, a walled garden and some street

as a minimum. It is packed to provide cover, blind alleys, long straights, and key defensive

buildings, with occasional open kill zones.

Remember such things as Geese, chickens, horses and other such stuff – you may be alerted

to the enemy creeping around by a goose!


Line of Sight

Line of sight affects movement in as much as two separate forces could pass each other either

side of a wall or building without noticing or reacting to each other (think The Longest Day,

Click! Click!7). Line of sight also affects who can see one another when at ground level or in/on

buildings. As a guide the following applies:

• At ground level all man height obstacles block line of sight.

• From a first floor height all man size obstacles have a 3” dead zone behind them within

which nothing can be seen.

• From a second floor height the dead zone is 2”.

• From a third floor height and above it is 1”.

Cover

Troops on roofs are considered in the open, unless taking a ‘hull down’ position to the ridge.

1. Beginning your Game - Page 20

As per the rules.

2. Command and control - Page 22

2.3 Deploying onto the table

Deployment distances are used if the deployment point is a non-urban area, otherwise

movement rules negate deployment distances. Deployment points cannot be placed within

buildings.

3. Command Points - Page 26

3.3 The Chapter Ends

In these rules the Chapter Ends represents the end of a particular assault. The attackers pull

back, both sides re-organise themselves and then start off again. There are some additions to

the original rules:

• Broken troops are removed. However they may return, rallied, in future turns through

any deployment points (minus casualties).

• All units within/on buildings, or in walled gardens stay on table in their held buildings

or areas, unless you voluntarily give them up, whereby the troops are removed and

may be deployed again via the deployment points in future turns (minus casualties).

• All units on streets have two options:

1. Place themselves in the nearest non occupied building or walled

garden.

2. Be removed from the table and thus available for deployment

through the deployment points in future (minus casualties).

7 The Longest Day 1962. Google about the ‘clickers’, there are whole blogs about them!


• Existing Deployment points may be moved to within 6” of a friendly occupied building

or walled garden whilst staying out of sight of any enemy troops.

4. Movement Page - 32

4.1 Troop Movement

Movement is separated between movement outside the defined urban area and movement

within it. The urban area will be defined by the type of road it has – metalled/cobbled roads

define the urban area from the rural countryside dirt tracks outside.

The urban area is made up of multiple built zones. A built zone will normally either be:

• Surrounded by urban roads.

• Building(s).

• Walled enclosure(s), square(s), garden(s) , cemetery(s) etc.

Outside this urban area Sharp Practice 2 movement rules apply, as per Table 6, within the

urban area it just these apply. This can also be understood as representing the time/space

difference between moving in the large countryside, and moving in the small confines of a

town. Movement outside town will be a lot slower and therefore take longer.

• In the original rules Regular Light Infantry got an additional movement action (Page

32) which Irregular light infantry did not. In these rules this is reversed, and Irregular

Light Infantry get the additional movement action (not dice if in an urban area),

whereas the Regular Light Infantry do not whilst in an urban area.

• Cavalry and Horse Artillery moving at the ‘Canter’ gain an extra movement action.

Movement per action (also overruling section 4.3):

1 In the urban area on streets

A movement action along urban streets is an unlimited move distance for all troop types up

to the first intersection or obstacle reached.

• An intersection is defined as a side turning or cross roads.

• A unit may move partially up to, or all the way along, a street until that street meets

an intersection or obstacle for each action.

• Movement along a street is automatically stopped by any enemy built obstacle such

as a barricade or ditch. The obstacles can be assaulted as normal, if not defended then

the unit may move over the obstacle next action (except cavalry and ditches).

• Mounted cavalry moving at a Gallop (Page 39) down urban streets will suffer 1 Shock

each turn to represent the crush of horses moving in a confined space. Feel free to

charge your lancers down the High Street, it was done at the Siege of Saragossa in

1808! Or with Chasseurs de Cheval at Andujar in 1808!

• Charges are carried out according to the original rules (Page 32), Table Six detailing

how many dice are used for movement inches.

• Other effects of movement are as described in Section 4.1, E.g. Running troops taking

a shock point.


2 Into built zones from an urban street

Movement into a building model is considered to include occupying the whole building.

• However entrance or exit must only be via doors (or blown holes) as indicated on the

building model, thus figures need to be entering from the right side of the building.

• Movement may be made along and past a street beside a built zone occupied by the

enemy, there is no need to stop or face the enemy.

3 Between separate individual built zones

Movement between built zones is completed over two actions:

• 1 Move out of built zone, via exits (doors or blown holes), placed onto street.

• 2 Move into built zone, via exits (doors or blown holes) only.

4 Over connected built zones

Figures may move over building roofs if physically connected one building to another each

turn, otherwise they have to move at ground/street level.

• It is possible under the ‘Tasks’ section to roll for each individual figure to jump any gap

(Page 65 and below) between buildings. Whilst moving across a roof they are

considered to be in the open for cover requirements against fire.

5 Ambushes (Page 27)

Hidden set up and movement must be defined in the scenario.

6 Scatter terrain within built zones

Scatter terrain such as street furniture, wagons, trees, stores, market stalls etc. within built

zones contribute towards the cover given by that zone. Figures do not need to be placed

around the scatter terrain to gain the cover (E.g. a few trees in a square means any units in

the square are in soft cover). Scatter terrain does not impede movement in any way, however

it does impede the deployment of ‘Formations’.

5. Firing Page - 40

5.2 Who can fire?

Firing and Buildings

The original rules in this Section do not apply. Building rules apply thus:

• Maximum allowed in a single building is 2 Groups (unless scenario specific) at one

loophole per figure, or two figures per window/door. Remember the 50% rule if

required.

• The figures are assumed to be occupying the full building and can fight or move from

any side with windows or doors. Buildings with multiple floors are the same.

• If being attacked on more than one side than the occupants need to be divided to fire

separate directions.


5.3. How to Fire

As per the rules.

5.4 Master Arsenal Table

Grenades and mines: These weapons were often used by troops to assault buildings, or blow

holes through from one building to the next. Regular troops fighting in urban areas should be

assumed to be familiar with these, and can be bought in the Support Option. Irregular troops

can have them only if the scenario permits.

• Grenades are also close range throwing weapons, maximum range 4”, with a 1” radius

explosion, and 1D6 Firing Dice.

• Mines may also be positioned, rather than thrown and then may have 3D6 Firing Dice.

Roll for ‘going off’ on the ‘Tasks’ section (Page 65 and below).

• A mine requires 1 hit (from the effects table – i.e. Hard cover requiring 6 to hit (Page

45)) to make a man size hole in a wall or blow a door. If enemy are in the vicinity then

roll for hits to them as well as a separate die roll (i.e. one roll for the wall, one for the

enemy). Indicate holes blown in walls or doors with a counter.

Roof tiles and domestic stuff : It was common for towns folk to throw rooftiles and other

hard stuff (or indeed soft stuff, a.k.a. ‘Garlic Soup’) from rooftops or higher windows down

upon advancing enemy troops (E.g. Assault of Andujar 1808).

• That being so, tiles etc. have a 1D6 per 2 figures and a 2” range beyond the edge of

the building – with the proviso they are being thrown down only.

Firing Procedure

Add this to the modifiers to hit:

• Firing from a built zone onto enemy troops in a Formation of 2+ Groups on an urban

street gains a +1 modifier (Table 10 Firing Adjustments, Page 45) to hit to represent

the enclosed nature of an urban street.


6.Shock Page - 50

Excess Shock

Retreats and retire movements caused by Shock are still measured in inches – as per the

original rules (Page 50-51).

7.Fisticuffs Page - 52

7.2 Terrain in Fisticuffs

Fisticuffs in buildings and ships: Buildings are considered to be one entire entity and not

broken down into floors or areas. You are either occupying an entire building or you are

outside, similarly you are attacking a whole building, and if successful you gain the entire

building and the enemy are driven off. Whether the building is a minor or major obstacle for

the combat should be determined at the start of the scenario.

8. Force Morale Page - 57

As per the rules.

9. Adding Characters Page - 58

As per the rules.

10. Tasks Page - 65

10.1 Task Values

The Tasks section in the original rules should be used (page 65) for the procedure – however

I have created an additional list of tasks to reflect the urban environment.

Task Value

Blow Door8 11

Blow man sized hole in wall 11

Block blown door or wall 8

Loophole wall 11

Build barricade 36

Demolish barricade 32

Build Breastwork/Ditch 50

Demolish Breastwork/Ditch 50

Start a fire with a torch 18 Spike a gun 6 Jump between roofs 4

Remember you need to have this equipment to do all this breaking down and building up stuff

(see Support List)!

8 “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!” Michael Caine The Italian Job 1969.


10.2 Specialist Tasks

The original rules Marksman task is now a permanent independent figure so this ability as a

task within a unit is no longer valid.

Appendix A : The Scenarios Page - 69

As per the rules.

Appendix B : The Army Lists Page - 79

The Urban Support list

The Support List, and the process, in the original rules for the army lists can be used (Page 79-

80) – however I have created another one to reflect urban combat and the theatre it took

place in:

Level One

Single Mine/Grenade

Single Ladder

Priest

Physic

Musician9

Tools to build or destroy (spades, picks etc)

Level Two

Loophole one complete wall

Street Barricade

Cannon breastwork

Moveable Deployment point

Fixed Deployment point

Additional Cannister

Heroine (Spanish only)

Knock man size hole through 1 wall

Level Three

Townsfolk – a 12 figure unit

Ditch across a street

Engineer

Status 1 Officer

Upgrade one leader by one level

It might be useful to have separate counters or representations of some of the support list.

9 I don’t mean Ed Sheeran. Toot! Toot!


Level One

Mine/Grenade – This is a bomb which can be thrown or used to blow doors open or man sized

holes in walls. It can be carried by one man and is laid and set off via the Tasks process.

Single Ladder – A ladder requires two men to carry and can be used to allow a Group to gain

access to first floor height locations, as per movement rules (I.e in one action).

Priest – As per rules (Page 80). To be truly representative Spanish at this time you really need

a few of these.

Physic – As per rules (Page 80).

Musician - As per rules (Page 81).

Tools to build or destroy – Enough tools for a Group to dig:

“There I was, a-diggin’ this ‘ole ‘Ole in the ground, so big and sort o’ round it was

And there was I, digging it deep It was flat at the bottom and the sides were steep…”10

Level Two

Loophole one wall – One building wall, or walled garden can be loop-holed in advance. May

be done with bayonets, no tools required. Loop-holes will support 1 Group of figures firing.

Street Barricade – A Barricade is an quickly improvised, solid barrier constructed with anything to hand (think Les Misérables). It provides hard cover and creates a stop point for all movement on an urban road. A Barricade will stretch across a whole street. No tools required. Cannon Breastwork – This is a breastwork quickly constructed with improvised materials. It

protects a single cannon and provides hard cover to the crew. Tools required.

Moveable Deployment point – As per rules (Page 82). Deployment points may not be placed

in buildings.

Fixed Deployment point – As per rules (Page 81). Deployment points may not be placed in

buildings.

Additional Canister - As per rules (Page 81).

Heroine – A very brave woman, hanging around with her fiancé, steps forward and shows the

men how to do it! One use only – gives an additional 1d6 to firing and removes 2 Shock. Use

a figure on table to show if attached to group – can be killed as per officer. May also be used

to fire any crewless loaded cannon once.

Knock man size hole through 1 wall – This will effectively double as a door in a wall that does

not have one, enabling movement between the two spaces (using one action).

10 Bernard Cribbins : The Hole in the Ground, 1962. Got to No.9 in the charts…


Level Three

Townsfolk – this is a 12 figure Group (Wallahs, Page 11). Use all those lovely civilian figures

you have lying around!11

Ditch – A more fully constructed defensive position which creates a stop point. It cannot be

attacked by mounted cavalry, and even if breached will still create a stop point for troops

moving along an urban road unless filled in. Tools required to make or fill it in.

Engineer – this is a single figure that is attached to a Group or Formation. The Engineer is a

trained professional and will add 1D6 to all task rolls carried out by the Group or Formation

they are attached to. If the unit he is attached to is hit then he rolls for being a casualty as

would an officer. If killed, it will count as being a ‘Bad Things Happen’ event, as Officer killed

(Page 57).

Status 1 Officer – Add an extra lower level leader to your force.

Upgrade one leader by one level – Upgrade an existing leader to one higher status, E.g a level

1 to a level 2.

New Troop type

This simple troop type represents the town folk called to arms and using whatever they have

to inflict pain on the attackers.

Spanish towns folk Type Wallahs (P.11)

Points Value

2 Weapon Domestic stuff (Garlic Soup)

Size 12

Formation First Fire

Controlled Volley

Crashing Volley

Step Out

Drill Characteristics

No No No No No No Surly

Garlic Soup Force listing

French

The first French list is based on the early war practice of rushing towns to seize them,

throughout regions, columns would be sent out to seize important points. Normally the

Infantry would make a demonstration outside whilst the cavalry would enter via other gates

and storm the important public spaces. All this would inevitably cower the population and the

town would be occupied.

It’s a pretty straightforward French force, line and light with cavalry cover. Enough leaders to

fight in the field, not enough to fight through a town.

11 Wanda the fish woman is particularly effective!


The second French list is for after the phase of easy towns falling to coup de mains has

finished. This list is for a proper, more formalised assault on a defended town. It could also be

used to represent a Forlorn Hope attack over a breached wall into a town after a formal siege.

Noticeably it has better quality troops leading the way – plus more leaders in ratio to Groups.

The French have learnt that small tactics count in storming a defended town, and cavalry have

no place at all.

1

French 'Coup de Main' column

Leader Status III

Leader Status I

2 Groups of 8 Line Infantry, Muskets

Leader Status II


Leader Status I


Leader Status II

2 Groups of 6 Voltigeur Skirmishers, Muskets

Leader Status II

1 Group 8 Chasseurs a Cheval, Sabres12

1 Group 8 Dragoons, Carbines & Sabres13

Point Value : 86

2

French 'Forlorn Hope' force

Leader Status III

Leader Status II

1 Group of 8 Grenadiers, Muskets

Leader Status I


Leader Status I


Leader Status I

1 Group of 8 Line Infantry, Muskets

Leader Status II


Leader Status II


Leader Status II


Point Value : 102

12 You could of course use those bright shiny Lancers instead. 13 Remember these were used as impact troops in the Peninsular, not just as mounted infantry.


Spanish

The first Spanish list represents the scraped together forces the Spanish were forced to put

together after the failure of their armies in the field. Some regular units, quickly raised militia

and the local brigands renamed as patriotic guerrillas. It also represents the lack of leaders

common in Spanish forces. Points wise it is smaller than the French list, allowing a number of

support options to be acquired.

The second Spanish list represents a more formal force, where what is left of the field armies

are coming to support the various sieges and defended towns. The Guerrillas are now off

attacking communication routes and Artillery has been brought in. Artillery was not only

placed on the walls but also on streets and defended buildings. The leader ratio has slightly

gone up. Again the points are significantly lower so many support options can be taken up.

1

Spanish 'Coup de Main' defence force

Leader Status II

Leader Status I

2 Groups of 8 Fusileros, Muskets

Leader Status II

3 Groups of 10 Provincial Militia, Muskets

Leader Status II

Leader Status I

4 Groups of 6 Guerrilla Skirmishers, Muskets

Point Value : 61

2

Spanish 'Set Assault' defence force

Leader Status III

Leader Status I

1 Group of 8 Grenaderos, Muskets

Leader Status I

2 Groups of 8 Fusileros, Muskets

Leader Status II

3 Groups of 10 Provincial Militia, Muskets

Leader Status II

2 Groups of 6 Cazadores Skirmishers, Muskets

Leader Status I

1 Light Artillery

Leader Status I

1 medium Artillery

Point Value : 83

Documents

Garlic Soup - diggingforvictoryblog.files.wordpress.com...town folk poured over them from the rooftops, Garlic Soup. 2 These rules are intended to complement the Sharp Practice 2 rules